


Crimson Flames

by lastnight



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt Wanda Maximoff, Kid Pietro Maximoff, Kid Wanda Maximoff, Loss, Minor Wanda Maximoff/Vision, Wanda Maximoff Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2018-12-17 09:42:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11848950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastnight/pseuds/lastnight
Summary: "She recalls the ache and emptiness she felt the instant that he died. No one told her. She did not see it. She felt it."______________I disagree with Marvel skipping out on Wanda's grieving. She is a young girl who lost the person closest to her. The only person she felt she had left in the world was taken from her.Although my writing isn't very good, this story might be emotional, or triggering to someone who has lost a loved one. Either way, I just felt the need to write what I imagined Wanda was going through after Pietro's death. There is also major Scarlet Vision feels because I love them too much.There are A LOT of flashbacks in this story, so I hope it doesn't get too confusing. I wanted to add to the origin story of Pietro and Wanda.(LASTLY, THIS IS NOT A STORY WITH WANDA AND PIETRO AS A COUPLE!!!!1!! Sorry not sorry, I just really disagree with the ship. This is a story about them as brother and sister. Nothing more.)





	1. Alone

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Brother by Avicii is the song for this entire work tbh

Wanda sits on the edge of her bed in her new room. She watches the red, smoke-like patterns dance from her fingertips while memories of her brother pass through her mind. Each passing day, she feels as if she cannot possibly cry anymore tears; yet each passing night ends with her crying herself to sleep. _Alone_. 

 

The Sokovian girl speaks many languages. She knows Sokovian, Romani, as well as some Russian; however, it is still impossible to articulate her feeling of loss. The loss of her beloved brother is not something she thinks she will ever be able to move passed. 

 

Each day, she must exist in a world where her brother is longer living. Her brother Pietro, who surrendered his life for a man that was trying to save their lives. She wishes with all of her heart that the day could somehow reset. She wishes that it could be her that was gone. There is nothing in this world she wouldn’t do to bring him back.

 

Pietro would have been fine without her. Although she knows it would not have been easy for him either, he was different. Pietro was likable. He was funny. He was sarcastic in the most humorous way. He was protective. He was a pleasure to be around. He was almost the opposite of herself; yet somehow, they were the same. She suddenly recalls a time when he had protected her from a teacher who was less than friendly toward her in class.

  
  


_ “I don’t think she will say anything to you anymore,” little Pietro says, holding her hand as they walk home to their apartment.  _

 

_ “You shouldn’t have argued with her, Pietro,” Wanda says, looking back to the school, “You might get in trouble.” _

 

_ “I’m your big brother,” he shrugs it off, “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”  _

 

_ “We’re twins,” she says, looking at him as if he is ridiculous. _

 

_ “The twelve minutes still count,” he says with a ridiculous smile.  _

 

A smile that she can only see in her memories. She smiles sadly at the memory. She hates thinking of him in past tense, but it is all she can do. There would be no future memories with him. The siblings went through so much together. There were happy memories, and of course, there were tragic ones. She thinks of what her family once was. Their mother, their father, and themselves. It was only the four of them, but they were incandescently happy with their little family and what little they had. 

  
  


_ The four of them sit at the table in their tiny apartment, eating dinner together as a family. Their mother and father look at the twins lovingly as the two bicker over God know’s what, but it is all in good fun. Pietro and Wanda’s laughter is suddenly interrupted by an ungodly boom, and the entire building seems to rattle. Before Wanda can even process what has happened, her eyes land on the massive hole in the floor. She looks around in shock. Her parents are nowhere to be seen. The walls seem to be crumbling down as she looks for her parents in a panic. It was strange to be sitting with them one moment, and the next they were gone. The floor beneath where they were sitting had just vanished.  _

 

_ She still has not had time to react when she feels arms around her, pulling her under the bed. Pietro rolls with her, shielding her from the next shell that hits their apartment. It crashes through the wall, and speeds straight toward them, stopping three feet from the children’s faces. She stares at the missile with wide eyes. She squeezes Pietro tightly, and he does the same. She expects her little life to be over. She waits for the bomb to explode and end everything, but the explosion never comes. The projectile just sits there, taunting them.  _

 

_ The building has pretty much completely collapsed. There are rescuers sent to save any survivors. The first night is spent crying in Pietro’s arms.  _

 

_ “They’re gone,” she chokes out, once the dust has settled, “We’re alone.”  _

 

_ “I’m here,” Pietro whispers reassuringly, “I’m not going anywhere.” She could feel her tiny heart breaking, but Pietro held her together. He also held up the part of the boxspring from the mattress that threatened to crush them both, his skinny arms shaking.  _

 

_ “Pietro, let me help you,” she says, trying to turn on her back to push the boxspring up as well.  _

 

_ “No, don’t move,” he says, his voice strained, “I got this.”  _

 

_ The second day trapped in the rubble, is silent. Pietro eventually managed to get a brick to prop up the mattress. Though she knows that even if the whole world fell on her, he would do everything in his power to hold it up for her. She holds so much admiration for the strong boy. He is strong in every way possible. The children are hungry and exhausted. After each movement made by the rescuers, Wanda looks at the shell in front of them. Each time the bricks shift, she expects it to go off. All the efforts made will have been for nothing.  _

 

_ Wanda thinks about what life might be like if they do manage to survive. She thinks she can remember things her mother would do to take care of them. She had cooked with her enough to learn a few things. She could take care of Pietro the way he takes care of her.  _

 

_ “Pietro,” Wanda whispers.  _

 

_ “Yes?” he leans back slightly to look at her.  _

 

_ “I need to pee,” she admits quietly.  _

 

_ “You are just gonna have to go,” Pietro says after a short pause. Wanda frowns in response. “I won’t make fun of you. I promise,” her brother says, “It’s okay.” His sudden maturity was surprising to the young girl. _

 

_ It wasn’t pleasant, but that was the reality of the situation. There is no sugar-coating being trapped under the rubble of your apartment that was just blown to bits.  _

 

_ They are rescued later that day. Wanda does not know what happens from here. Things this big didn’t happen to a girl with a life that small. Why was what little she had taken away from her? What did she do to deserve this?  _

 

_ “Whatever happens, I’m not leaving you, okay?” her brother’s voice rings in her ears.  _

  
  


Wanda sighs, her hands falling in her lap. “Why did you leave me?” she whispers. Pietro never let go of her hand once they were out of the rubble. Even when the paramedics were looking them over, Pietro held her hand tightly. When the social worker went to speak with them, Pietro refused to let go of his sister’s hand until they were promised that they would never be separated. Wanda did not see Pietro cry until days after their parents died. He was strong for her. Never did his strength falter. They were only 10 years old, but Pietro took up the responsibility of being her rock. He even took up the responsibility of saving her life that day of the bombing, pulling her under the bed with him. Something she was never able to truly thank him for. 

 

So many regrets haunt her mind every second of every day. Although she knows it is not her fault, she feels as if she could have somehow changed his fate. If she had asked him to stay a few seconds more, maybe he would not have been standing where he was when it happened. Maybe he would not have made it to Clint in time. 

 

She suddenly feels guilty for the thought even crossing her mind. Pietro would be disappointed in her. Clint has a family, a wife and three children, and plenty of friends. Pietro gladly sacrificed his life to prevent any of them from feeling a fraction of the pain that he once felt. Wanda knows that Pietro also did it for her. He protected Clint because he was the ghost of the father figure that they needed. 

 

Clint had quickly taken up the entire role after Pietro’s death. Wanda feels as if she hasn’t thanked him enough, but she hasn’t spoken much to anyone since the battle of Sokovia. She trains with the Avengers, and only speaks when necessary. She remains strong in front of them, but it is times like these, when she is alone, that the weight of it all is far too much to bear. Pietro cannot help hold this weight.

 

She thinks of the pain her brother must have felt when he was hit with a spray of bullets. She was told that he was still conscious for a few seconds after being shot, saying his final words to Clint. She wishes it could have been an instant death. She wishes he never had to feel any pain at all. 

 

She recalls the ache and emptiness she felt the instant that he died. No one told her. She did not see it. She  _ felt  _ it. She was fighting off the many robots that were trying to reach the core she was assigned to protect, when she physically  _ felt  _ his death. It is not something she can describe, or even explain. It was an unfathomable, and unceasing pain, that she knew could not be fixed. The hole left in her heart could never be filled. 

 

She remembers falling to her knees with clenched fists, her nails digging into the palms of her hands, and letting out a scream that tore through her like shards of glass. Power surged through her and destroyed anything within her proximity. 

 

She looks back on when she found Ultron, the one responsible for Pietro’s death. 

  
  


_ “Wanda… If you stay here, you’ll die,” Ultron says, as if he actually cares for her. The scariest part is, Wanda believes he does. She can hear it in his voice. He knows his fight is over, yet he still has hope for her escape. _

 

_ “I just did,” she practically says through her teeth, “Do you know how it felt?” she looks at him with nothing but hatred. A fire burns in her eyes like never before. “It felt like that,” she says, as she tries to cause him as much pain as possible.  _

  
  


She had telekinetically ripped out his power source, in an attempt of giving him a glimpse of what she felt. But it could not bring her brother back. Pietro was dead, and suddenly, she was alone. 

 

Wanda was not granted the luxury of a goodbye. There were no dramatic last words. There was not a final embrace. No final “I love you.” No goodbyes. 

 

 

_ “I’m not leaving you here,” Pietro says, slightly out of breath. He’s been running around Sokovia, saving civilians and fighting robots, so it is warranted. _

 

_ “Get the people on the boats. I can handle this,” she says as she destroys a robot. Pietro turns, groaning slightly, but he knows it is true. He begins to walk away but turns back quickly.  _

 

_ “You know, I’m twelve minutes older than you,” he says with that same stupid grin from when they were children.  _

 

_ “Go,” she says, her laugh slipping as she says it.  _

 

 

She did not know it would be her final time seeing him. How was she to know? Wanda sighs, the light dancing from her fingertips once again. She wishes she would have said more. She lays back on her bed, her legs dangling over the edge as she looks up at the ceiling. Her brown hair is sprawled out onto the mattress. 

 

She thinks of the life she has now. She lives in a beautiful building with the other Avengers, and is strengthening her powers every day. Yet, she would trade this life for her old one in a heartbeat. As fate would have it, she is now the only surviving member of her humble family.

 

Her thoughts are interrupted when she feels a sudden presence in her room. She cannot quite explain what she feels, but it has to do with her telekinetic abilities. She sits up and turns to find the Vision standing in her room. She is not exactly startled, but the lack of noise did somewhat surprise her. 

 

“Vision,” she says, unsure of what else to say. 

 

“Hello, Wanda,” he says in a rather awkward manner. Wanda would prefer to be alone at this point; however, Vision’s presence doesn’t seem to bother her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have already written a couple more chapters, but I don't know if I should continue posting them. I definitely enjoy writing this story, but I don't know whether or not it is good enough to share. I'm not sure if any of you got emotional while reading this, but I was tearinG up while writing iT. Wanda and Pietro deserve better. :') 
> 
> ANYWAY, thanks for reading!!! I appreciate any feedback you might have for me!


	2. Unconvinved

“What are you doing here?” she asks the android. He had never before paid her a visit in her room. 

 

“I wanted to check on you,” Vision states hesitantly. 

 

“I’m fine,” Wanda fakes a smile. The smile fails to meet her eyes.

 

“You may have the others convinced,” Vision says, taking a step closer but keeping his distance, “But I am less convinced.” Wanda eyes him for a moment, unmoving. 

 

“And what makes you say that?” she asks, tilting her head slightly. 

 

“I know nothing of loss,” Vision starts, “Only what I can imagine and perceive the experience to be like. Though, I understand that it is not something that can simply be ignored. It must be dealt with. However long that may take.” 

 

Wanda looks down at her hands for a moment. She has been pretending to be okay for about four months now. She doesn’t front entirely. Her sadness is still apparent to the other Avengers, but she keeps the depth of it concealed for the most part. They would never understand what she felt. They did not know how much Pietro had been there for her, and she could not expect them to. Each of the other Avengers understood in their own way. Not that she really confided in any of them. Steve understood the experiments they went through and the loss of a normal life, while Clint understood the loss of her family. Even Tony understood the loss of both parents simultaneously. But none of them understood the weight of all this on a teenage girl. 

 

She felt the weight on her shoulders grow heavier and heavier each time her life fell apart. She didn’t know how much more she could take. She turns to look at the single picture of Pietro she has in her room. She would have had more, but she had enough reminders of him throughout the day. 

 

“You may think that you are alone in this world,” Vision speaks again, “but I can assure you, you are not.” Wanda looks back up at him. Vision stares back for a few moments, before nodding and phasing through the wall, the same way he had entered. 

 

She stares at the wall where he had exited. The other Avengers always approached her so much differently. Perhaps it is the human side of them, that Vision clearly lacks. Or perhaps it is their fearfulness and weariness around her that is absent in him. Though the other Avengers had every right to fear her, she did not intentionally scare them off. 

  
  


 

_ She sits quietly in the Quinjet and someone-- maybe Natasha, maybe Steve, she does not know-- buckles her in. She stares blankly at the floor in front of her. She has not seen her brother yet, though she knows his lifeless body lies somewhere near by. It has to. She knows they would not allow him to be left behind. Especially after saving one of their own.  _

 

_ She hears the cries of other Sokovian civilians. It almost sounds amplified. Perhaps she is not hearing their physical cries, but she is hearing their thoughts. She is feeling their grief as well as her own.  _

 

_ Soon enough they reach the ground. People exit the many boats left and right. Families and friends reunite, pulling each other into embraces, and crying in each other’s arms. She has no one to greet. She has no one waiting for her here. There is nothing left for her.  _

 

_ Clint approaches her. She stares at him and he looks at her knowingly. Within seconds, she is inside his head. She sees Pietro’s death from his eyes, from his memory. Clint was willing to die saving a child, while Pietro died saving them both. She feels her entire body begin to tremble.  _

 

_ She turns to the emptying boats, her eyes scanning the many people. Finally, her eyes land on the mother and child she is looking for. She begins walking towards them. Her speed gradually increasing. She cannot control herself. The woman suddenly turns to face her, holding the young boy close to her.  _

 

_ “You did this!” Wanda points a finger straight in the woman’s face. “The most wonderful person in the world is dead because of you!”Clint comes running behind her but she pays no heed. Her eyes glow red and scarlet fire dances around her hands.  _

 

_ “I- I sorry- I don’t- I don’t know what you mean-” the crying blonde stammers.  _

 

_ “You left your child in the market,” Wanda’s screams are spine-chilling, “my brother died protecting him!” She now points at the boy.  _

 

_ “Wanda! You need to stop!” Clint shouts from behind her.  _

 

_ “She would have let you die too!” she now screams at the little boy who looks at her with nothing but terror, a look she knows all too well. “Your mom did not go back for you! She was safe on a boat!”  _

 

_ Clint suddenly grabs her, beginning to drag her away, “You are a murderer!” she screams, still pointing at the woman as she is pulled away, “You have blood on your hands!” A shield agent ushers the mother and son away from the confrontation as well. Wanda turns her attention to Clint who is pushing her away. She begins slamming her fists against his chest. “He’s dead! He’s dead!” her screams turn into a deep cry, and her head falls on his chest. Clint wraps his arms around her. She shakes out several sobs and stands there in his embrace.  _

 

_ “It wasn’t her fault,” he says calmly, “It was no one’s fault. He made his choice.” She barely notices Natasha standing at the ready, and Clint waving for her to drop the weapon.  _

  
  


 

Wanda sighs at the memory of one of her many outbursts after Pietro’s death. It definitely caused conflict and division between the other Avengers and herself. She has not lashed out like that in quite some time. Pietro often lashed out in a similar fashion, but only in the face of injustice or situations of that sort. She hated seeing him angry, but he was always there to protect her. 

  
  


 

_ “What did you say?” Young Pietro says, pushing the boy away from her. “You wanna say that again?” He pushes the kid a second time, this time knocking him down to the ground.  _

 

_ “I- I didn’t-” the kid stutters and raises his hands up in submission.  _

 

_ “That’s what I thought,” Pietro kicks the kid while he is on the ground. “Don’t ever speak to my sister again,” he says with narrowed eyes. The kid’s face goes pale. Wanda steps in, pushing Pietro back slightly.  _

 

_ “Pietro, that’s enough,” she says in a calming voice. Pietro continues staring the kid down for a few moments, his expression hard. He huffs before storming off and pulling her along with him. Wanda looks back at the boy who was being inappropriate to see the distinct look of fear and embarrassment on his face. She almost pities him. Almost. She looks back at Pietro who stares ahead with a set look on his face. He looks at her through the corner of his eye.  _

 

_ “What?” he asks, anger still lacing his voice,  _

 

_ “Mama is going to be mad,” she says quietly.  _

 

_ “I don’t care,” he says shortly. She frowns but keeps walking.  _

 

_ “Are you mad at me?” she says, feeling that she was at the root of his anger. Pietro stops walking and turns to her.  _

 

_ “I took care of you, didn’t I?” he asks, to which she nods. “Well, that is my job. I don’t care about getting in trouble. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at- at assholes like him.” He gestures back to the schoolyard. Wanda covers her mouth in shock.  _

 

_ “Pietro!” she scolds, “You can’t say swear words. That WILL get you in trouble.” Pietro just laughs before the two begin walking home again.  _

 

 

 

At the time, Wanda could not imagine a world without him. Now here she is, living it. But is visiting memories all day and crying herself to sleep every night really living? 


	3. Always

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a while, I decided to give up on this story. I received several hateful comments, and it just became frustrating. Especially considering it was only after posting TWO CHAPTERS. Regardless of that, I've decided to keep going.   
> On a separate note, there are a few people debating about Wanda and why people even like her. I'd just like to say that I don't think she is innocent. I am writing from her point of view, so naturally, she isn't going to see all of her faults. I think flawed characters are realistic characters. In my opinion, they're more realistic. I love Wanda, despite her flaws, just like I love all the others with their own flaws. I deleted most of the hateful comments, but did leave the ones who were debating respectfully. ANyway, enough of my rambling.

Wanda spends yet another day, sitting on the edge of her bed and thinking about her brother. Her gaze is focused outside the window of her dark room, rain pattering gently against the glass. She loves the rain. She always has. For some odd reason, the grey sky and drops of water on the window seem to wash away her sadness, even if it was only temporarily.

 

She finds her thoughts of Pietro drift off to one of her more pleasant memories. She recalls how protective her brother was over her. She could never protect him the way he protected her, but she always made sure to be there for him in every way possible. She actually recalls the very day she decided to  _ always  _ be there for him--  _ no matter what.  _

  
  


_ Wanda sits with her arms crossed, leaning back in her chair. She thinks about Pietro. He had given  the teacher a smart remark and was sent to in school suspension. Wanda hates the fact that she can never help him when he gets into trouble. In the rare occasion that she got in trouble, Pietro was always there to get him out of it. She wants to help him, but she doesn’t know how to. She sits silently, wondering what Pietro would do if he was in her situation.  _

 

_ “Wanda, do your work,” the teacher says as she passes the girl’s desk.  _

 

_ “No,” Wanda replies without even looking at her teacher. _

 

_ The teacher steps back, surprised at Wanda’s disobedience. The woman would expect this from Pietro, but it was different coming from Wanda. “Do your assignment, Wanda.”  _

 

_ “No,” the little girl repeats defiantly, unmoving.  _

 

_ “Do you want to go to in school suspension like your brother?” The lady asks in a scolding tone. She is unaware of the fact that it is Wanda’s plan to go to in school suspension. “Your parents will hear about this,” she adds, but Wanda does not budge. The paper is simple math that she can easily complete; however, Wanda’s goal was to be right there with him.  _

 

_ The woman leaves and returns to Wanda’s desk with a paper. Wanda grabs the write-up, along with her assignment, and makes her way out of the classroom. The teacher mutters something about the Maximoffs being trouble. Wanda smiles as she walks to the suspension room, thinking of how proud Pietro will be of her accomplishment.  _

 

_ She enters the room, and immediately spots Pietro sitting in a corner, facing the wall. She walks up to the large desk, handing the supervisor of the class the referral. “Sit over there,” the man says, gesturing to a seat on the opposite corner of Pietro.  _

 

_ As she walks to her assigned seat, Pietro turns his head and looks at her before turning back to the wall. He does a double take when he realizes it is his sister. He stares at her for a moment before glaring, much to Wanda’s surprise. What had she done wrong?  _

 

_ “Hey, face front,” the man commands. Pietro glares for a few more seconds before reluctantly turning around.  _

 

_ Wanda takes a seat, setting her assignment down on the wobbly desk. She begins working on her assignment, but her focus is interrupted she is hit with a tiny ball of crumpled paper. She opens the small scrap of paper and reads a note from Pietro.  _

 

_ “What did you do?” is scrawled in his messy handwriting. She glances back at him over her shoulder, but he remains facing the wall.  _

 

_ She begins writing in her neater penmanship, not answering her brother’s question. “Don’t be mad. You started it.” The girl crumples it back up and tosses it back to him.  _

 

_ The conversation goes on and on. The two move on to other subjects, which eventually lead to Pietro making fun of the supervisor’s bald head. Wanda struggles to contain her laughter while scolding him on the piece of paper. Soon enough, all of Pietro’s assignments are gone. His many papers have been torn to shreds, being used for miniature notes for miniature conversations.  _

 

_ Pietro is tossing a note back when the fun is interrupted by the overseer of the room. “What’s going on over there?” The man’s voice booms. Wanda feels her heartbeat quicken after being startled. Neither of the twins look back. They both remain motionless in their assigned seats. Wanda thinks she can hear Pietro snickering, but she isn’t sure; however, she does hear the man get out of his seat, and the sound on his shoes against the floor. _

 

_ He walks over to Pietro’s desk and looks around. “Where is your paper?” The man already sounds irritated. Wanda peers back at the two over her shoulder. She watches Pietro vaguely gesture to the small wads of paper that surround his desk. “That’s it,” the man says before walking back to his desk. “Your parents are getting a call right now.”  _

 

_ Pietro suddenly stands up, scooping the many balls of paper into his arms. Wanda looks at him quizzically, not knowing what her brother is up to. She knows it cannot possibly be good. She highly doubts he has the sudden impulse to clean up the mess. He walks over to the man and Wanda begins to think that maybe she was wrong after all. To her greater surprise, he suddenly begins throwing the wads of paper at the poor man. Wanda stares in shock, but cannot stop the laughter that ensues.  _

 

_ The last thing she wants to do, is increase the amount of trouble that she already is in--  but then she remembers that Pietro is going to get in trouble for this. That something she never plans to let him do alone again.  _

 

_ She stands from her seat and scoops up the wads of paper that litter her own desk, before hurling them at the man as well. Pietro’s eyes widen in surprise before he begins laughing too. He turns to her and  begins pelting her with wads of paper as well.  _

 

_ Soon enough, there is a full on “paper ball war” in the classroom. Papers fly back and forth between both the twins, and the man. Pietro and Wanda cannot contain their laughter. Their childish giggles and Wanda’s laughing shrieks filled the room, the man frantically calling the office the entire time.  _

  
  
  


Wanda is suddenly laughing aloud at the memory. Genuinely laughing feels so strange and unnatural to her now. It was such a fun moment, though the consequences that followed were not so great. Her eyes focus on the window once again. Beads of water create a broken painting on the glass. She recalls Pietro holding her hand as they sat together in the office, and telling her that whatever happened, they were in it together.  _ Always _ . 

  
  



End file.
